Supported Employment Services Research Articles

Exploring a non-universal understanding of waged work and its consequences: sketching out employment activation for people with an intellectual disability

Background: Supported Employment has been advocated for by successive governments and policymakers alike as the best approach to employment inclusion for people with an intellectual disability who are in receipt of social care. Yet only 5.2% of this demographic are in any form of work and these numbers have been persistently stagnant for many years. Aims: This study aimed to explore the employment landscape and grapple with the intersecting layers of policy consequence for people who have an intellectual disability, and are in receipt of social care, who wish to engage with work preparation employment support. Methods: As an active participant in the field, this study was ethnographic and conducted at a new job club that had been established in England. In addition, three further sites of complementary data were explored in Wales, through interviews and focus groups. Findings: This study demonstrates that there is a mismatch between how evidence informs policy, and how funding is allocated to support with work preparation. Those unable to secure Supported Employment services are, instead, navigating extreme employment disadvantage and scant opportunities, in the open labour market. Further, bound up in this analysis is evidence of a non-universal understanding of waged work where any form of financial remuneration is welcome. Discussion and conclusion: Overall, with a mismatch between evidence that informs policy, policy rhetoric, realistic employment prospects, and available work, without a fundamental employment policy shift, the very low employment rates within this demographic will not increase.

Producing precarity: The individualization of later life unemployment within employment support provision

There have been marked policy shifts within many nations towards ‘extended work lives’, with such shifts often underpinned by an assumption that individual aging citizens can make the responsible choice to prolong work and thereby avoid dependency on the state. However, possibilities for extended work lives are inequitably distributed, and older workers who become unemployed often face prolonged unemployment and barriers to obtaining sustainable employment. Drawing on findings from an ethnographic study addressing the negotiation of long-term unemployment in two North American cities, this article attends to how jobseekers aged 50 and older, employment support service providers, and organizational stakeholders understood and attempted to manage later life unemployment. Employing a critical discourse analysis approach informed by a governmentality perspective, the findings illustrate how possibilities for framing the problems faced by older jobseekers and for managing later life unemployment were constrained by broader individualizing neoliberal mandates. Despite recognition of systemic barriers tied to ageism and its intersection with other axes of disadvantage, stakeholders and service providers enacted a narrow individualized approach to manage ageism. This individualized approach, in turn, produced tensions within service provision and shaped precarity for older jobseekers through encouraging them to be ‘realistic’ regarding the types of work and wages available to them as older workers. If the extended work life agenda continues to be politically promoted as a key solution in the management of population aging, it is imperative to re-configure policy and service approaches to avoid the downloading of insurmountable barriers onto older jobseekers in ways that increasingly produce precarious lives marked by uncertainty, instability, and vulnerability.

Social support among people with mental illnesses on probation.

Justice-involved people with mental illnesses, in general, experience poor criminal justice outcomes (i.e., high rates of recidivism and probation revocations) and are at increased risk of homelessness, unemployment, stigma, trauma, and poor physical health. Low social support is repeatedly associated with worse mental health outcomes in the general population but little is known about social support among probationers with serious mental illnesses. To address these gaps in the literature, we used an observational cross-sectional study design and data from a large, randomized controlled trial of specialty mental health probation to examine self-reported social support and its relationships with mental health functioning and other outcomes for individuals with serious mental illnesses on supervised probation. Probationers who self-reported lower levels of social support also reported greater mental health symptomatology and reported lower quality relationships with their probation officers. Low social support among probationers with mental illnesses has important implications for mental health and criminal justice practice and policy. Coordinating services between the criminal justice and mental health systems to offer opportunities for social support and meaningful community engagement for those with mental illnesses who are on probation could improve a number of mental health and criminal justice outcomes for this population. Peer support and supported employment services, for example, in addition to outpatient mental health services, could be two strategies that could address social isolation and help individuals living with mental illnesses optimize their recovery and rehabilitation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Program evaluation of a community organization offering supported employment services for adults with autism

BackgroundIndividuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have an employment rate well below the general population. One potential solution to address this issue is the implementation of supported employment services. The purpose of our study was to evaluate a Canadian community supported employment program designed for individuals with ASD without an intellectual disability. MethodThirty-seven individuals with ASD, who were receiving services from a local community agency (Action main-d’oeuvre) providing supported employment services, participated in the study. The research team monitored the characteristics of the participants, the number of hours of services provided, and outcome measures related to employment. We then conducted descriptive analyses, t-tests, and Wilcoxon signed rank tests to compare anxiety about work and self-efficacy before services and after outcomes of the program. ResultsDespite high levels of comorbid mental health issues, our results indicated that 62.1 % of individuals obtained paid employment within 12 months. Furthermore, participants with post-secondary education found jobs related to their degree or requiring specialized skills. Participants felt less anxious and more self-efficacious towards employment. Maintaining employment was a greater challenge and continuing support may be required. ConclusionsThe study suggests that the employment services may have supported the participants in finding a job. However, collaboration is essential to address mental health issues in job seekers with ASD, which appeared to hinder job search and maintenance.

다문화가족지원센터의 결혼이민자 취업지원서비스 : 현황과 발전방향

다문화가족지원센터의 결혼이민자 취업지원서비스 : 현황과 발전방향

Caregivers' hopes, expectations and concerns surrounding the employment and future of young people with mental health conditions.

Objective:Informal caregivers are often placed in a better position to understand and advocate for the vocational needs of young persons with mental health conditions. However, their opinions are largely ignored in the planning of vocational outcomes. This qualitative study had two broad aims: to explore (1) the perceptions of caregivers of young adults with mental health conditions on issues of paid employment and (2) their views and expectations of employment support services.Methods:A total of 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Caregivers were 45 years old on average, the majority were women (73%) and were of Chinese ethnicity (53%). Most participants (60%) were parents of the young persons with psychotic disorders (57%), or affective and mood disorders, such as depression or anxiety disorders (43%).Results:Thematic analyses of data revealed three superordinate themes: (1) caregiving roles, (2) caregivers’ expectations and hopes, and (3) barriers to employmentof young persons with mental health conditions.Conclusions and implications for practice:Caregivers strongly believed that employment support services should prioritise and advocate for recovery while securing employment. Local mental health employment support services should incorporate the views and expectations of caregivers of young persons with mental health conditions to foster better coordination between stakeholders, and enhance support for successful employment, reintegration into the community, and ultimately recovery for these individuals.

The American Psychiatric Association Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Schizophrenia.

(Reprinted with permission from The American Journal of Psychiatry 2020; 177:868-872).

Centering the Complexity of Long-Term Unemployment: Lessons Learned from a Critical Occupational Science Inquiry

Inquiries that rely on temporal framings to demarcate long-term unemployment risk generating partial understandings and grounding unrealistic policy solutions. In contrast, this four-phase two-context study aimed to generate complex understandings of post-recession long-term unemployment in North America. Grounded in a critical occupational perspective, this collaborative ethnographic study also drew on street-level bureaucracy and governmentality perspectives to understand how social policies and discursive constructions shaped people’s everyday ‘doing’ within the arena of long-term unemployment. Across three phases, study methods included interviews with 15 organizational stakeholders who oversaw employment support services; interviews, participant observations, and focus groups with 18 people who provided front-line employment support services; and interviews, participant observations, time diaries, and occupational mapping with 23 people who self-identified as being long-term unemployed. We draw on selected interviews and mapping data to illustrate how participants’ definitions and experiences of long-term unemployment reflected and moved beyond dominant temporally based framings. These findings reinforce the need to expand the dominant conceptualizations of long-term unemployment that shape scholarly inquiries and policy responses. Reflections on the benefits and challenges of this study’s design also reinforce the need to use multiple, flexible methods to center the complexity of long-term unemployment as it is experienced in everyday life.

The American Psychiatric Association Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Schizophrenia

The American Psychiatric Association Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Schizophrenia

Implementation of supported employment in the context of a national Canadian program: Facilitators, barriers and strategies.

To describe facilitators, barriers, and strategies to implementation of the Canadian national At Work/Au travail program. This program funded supported employment services, following some of the principles of the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model, in 12 sites across Canada. We conducted on-site individual interviews (12) and focus groups (15) with 35 employment support workers, 12 team supervisors or managers, and 10 directors or CEOs. Interview summaries were created and coded using thematic analysis techniques. Codes were then distilled into themes grouping prominent barriers and facilitators to implementation. Four themes emerged: (i) national program structure: Flexible eligibility criteria and flexibility in use of subsidy funds were perceived as generally helpful, although there were difficulties associated with communication around noneligibility decisions and outcome targets; (ii) training and reinforcement: The support provided to sites was generally thought to be an important facilitator, especially when more intensive. Several participants viewed the online IPS training as a facilitator; (iii) external factors: Rules concerning impacts of employment earnings on benefits could be viewed as a barrier; and (iv) internal factors: Facilitators included strong leadership, positive staff attitudes, and larger program size. Several participants reported staff resistance as a barrier. Several features of the national program structure and leadership emerged that could be maintained if the program were extended elsewhere. The flexibility allowed for spending of wage subsidy funds, as well as the provision of more intensive training, were both perceived as potential enhancements to an eventual expansion of the program. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

A Study on Development of Competency Model for the Consultant Providing Employment Support Services for Middle-aged and Elderly People

A Study on Development of Competency Model for the Consultant Providing Employment Support Services for Middle-aged and Elderly People

Competitive Integrated Employment for Youth and Adults with Autism: Findings from a Scoping Review.

A scoping review was conducted to map existing literature on effective interventions for competitive employment for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Empirical database searches were conducted. A filter for level of methodological rigor was implemented. A total of 25 articles met inclusion criteria. Findings were categorized by level of evidence. Findings revealed strong empirical support for a transition-to-work program called Project SEARCH plus ASD Supports and traditional supported employment services. Receipt of specific vocational rehabilitation and transition services in high school were also identified as effective interventions. Recommendations per level of evidence are provided in more detail.

Supported Education in a Swedish Context – Opportunities and Challenges for Developing Career-Oriented Support for Young Adults with Mental Health Problems

Young adults experiencing mental health problems often need both individual support and educational accommodations to successfully complete their studies. Recent research also points to the need for career-related, educational services in a labor market that increasingly demands formal education or training. The aim of this study was to investigate the development of supported education services in Sweden, in relation to pursuing educational and vocational goals. Interviews were conducted with a broad sample of stakeholders who are currently developing supported education services, as well as young adults utilizing educational support. The results suggest a number of key factors for accommodating the needs of these students which include, in addition to basic academic, mental health and individual supports, attention to economic challenges, social contexts and improved mental health literacy for educational actors. The results additionally substantiate the relevance of educational supports to long-term vocational goals when providing employment support services.

Experiences of workers with disabilities receiving supported employment services in Greece.

People with disabilities (PwDs) are under-represented in the workforce, especially during times of economic recession. Supported employment is recognized as an effective practice for promoting work inclusion of PwDs, including people with intellectual disabilities (IDs). This study aimed at exploring the experiences of workers with ID or mental health conditions who received supported employment services in Greece. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine workers with ID and five with mental health conditions. The thematic analysis revealed that emotional pressure was experienced by the participants with mental health conditions and those with ID during the job search and the adaptation period, respectively. On-the-job training was available for the participants with ID and assistance in finding suitable job opportunities was given to those with mental health conditions. All participants highlighted the importance of maintaining employment. The findings can inform efforts on developing employment services targeting social and work inclusion for PwDs.

Employment Support for Autistic Adults in the Information Technology Sector: A Case Study of Meticulon Consulting Inc.

Autistic adults are at heightened risk to experience poor employment outcomes. Employment supports are suggested to improve these outcomes, but relatively little is known about the key ingredients of employment support and their respective impact. We conducted a case study of employment support offered by Meticulon Consulting Inc., a social enterprise that facilitates and supports employment in the information technology (IT) sector for autistic adults. We conducted three sequential interviews (once per month) with four autistic adults working in the IT sector and receiving employment support, as well as one-time interviews with nine employers and three employment support personnel. Participants valued employment support. They appreciated the immediacy and flexibility of support, varied assistance offered to both employees and employers, and organizational learning about needed workplace adjustments. Participants further stated that employment support improved work environments, decreased employee anxiety at work, and improved employee confidence. Challenges to employment included gaps in support during times of employment interruption, waning employee motivation, and mental health service gaps in the community. Recommendations for future advancement entailed (1) continuous support even in periods of unemployment, (2) employment support services across industries and sectors beyond IT, and (3) greater opportunity for autistic people, as they desire, to advance to leadership roles in employment settings. The study identifies benefits of, and guidance for, employment support in the IT sector. We offer recommendations, with potential relevance for autistic employees, employers, and employment support providers. Ensuring employment-related supports, as needed and desired by autistic adults, is a priority for advancing employment outcomes in this population. Why was this study done?: We did this study to learn about employment support in the information technology (IT) sector since little is known about these supports and they may be important in helping autistic adults obtain and keep jobs.What was the purpose of this study?: We sought to explore employment support for autistic individuals working in the IT sector including what employment support was like for autistic adults, individuals employing them, and professionals providing them employment support.What did the researchers do?: We asked 16 people with experience receiving or providing employment supports in the IT sector about their thoughts on employment support: 4 autistic adults who received program support, 9 employers, and 3 employment support professionals.What were the results of the study?: Both employers and employees found employment support services helpful in obtaining and retaining employment. Participants described positive experiences with employment support, including better access to suitable and satisfying employment, improved work environments, decreased anxiety, and a supportive and trusting relationship with the job coaches. Employers noted the proficiency of the employees in their work duties, and identified the job coaches as sources of knowledge and guidance. Employers described benefits to their organizations including learning and growth in their work environment related to attitudes and knowledge about autism and autistic coworkers. Participants recommended (1) continuous employment support even in times of employment interruption, (2) providing employment support across industries and sectors beyond IT, and (3) fostering opportunities for leadership roles for autistic adults, as they desire. Some challenges identified by participants included gaps in services when individuals were waiting to be employed, employees losing motivation, and gaps in community mental health services.What do these findings add to what was already known?: This study helps us better understand employment support in IT jobs. It adds knowledge about the benefits that autistic adults receive from this support. It also describes the importance of extending beyond only individual skill development and moving toward the development of an "ecosystem" of support with increased community resources, including supporting potential employers and reducing barriers to employment. The study also describes specific tasks of employment support, such as brokering communication between employees and employers.What are potential weaknesses in the study?: We did this study in a single region and with a small group of people. It is possible others might have different experiences and perspectives.How will these findings help autistic adults now or in the future?: This study highlights the value of employment support for autistic adults in the IT sector. With wider availability of effective employment support, it is hoped that more autistic adults will achieve better and more satisfying employment. Our findings offer information that can potentially contribute to good and satisfying career opportunities for autistic adults.

Teacher Recruitment, Motivation and Retention at Rural Schools in Namibia

Teacher motivation is an integral part of the success of the teaching and learning processes. The purpose of this study was to establish the factors underlying teacher recruitment, motivation and retention within a rural context. A case study design was employed as a methodology for the study. The collected data was analysed by establishing themes and emerging categories. The study established that teachers at rural schools were motivated by crucial work-related factors which were both intrinsic and extrinsic in nature. Employment opportunities, family background, leadership, rural environment and support services were some of the major factors motivating teacher to be recruited and retained with rural school teaching. The study recommended that school leaders should acquire a holistic understanding of the diverse factors motivating teachers, so that they can nurture these factors and motivate teachers appropriately. This will ensure that rural schools remains with motivated teaching personnel for improved performance.

Public provision of employment support services to youth jobseekers

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate if public provision of employment support services to youth leads to reduced informality and increased wages in transition economies.Design/methodology/approachThe author uses the school-to-work transition data sets of the International Labor Organization for seven transition economies of Southeast Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States. The author focuses on two econometric issues: the selectivity into informal employment and the endogeneity of the public employment support service provision with respect to informal employment and wages. The authors achieves identification by employing internal regressors which are uncorrelated with the product of heteroskedastic errors, a-la Lewbel (2012), as the author could not prove the external validity of the commonly used external instruments in similar contexts.FindingsResults suggest that the public provision of employment support services matters for relegating informal employment, but not for wages, in general. Placement in education or training programs is most powerful in reducing informal employment among the four different employment support services, while only advice for job search works positively for wages probably through enabling better match.Social implicationsIncreasing budget allocations, varying the array of public employment support measures, enhanced targeting, and advancement of the profiling system may significantly contribute to strengthening the public employment support service effect on youth employment in transition economies.Originality/valueThe paper brings a couple of novelties to the current literature. First, it is among the early papers dealing with the issue of informality, public employment support service and labor market prospects of youth in general in a rigorous manner. Second, it fills an important gap for transition economies which were less researched due to the long-lasting transition process as well due to data scarcity. Third, it utilizes the recently collected School-to-Work Transition Surveys (SWTS). Finally, and likely most importantly, it thoroughly addresses the issues of selectivity bias and endogeneity of PESS by utilizing a recent approach of Lewbel (2012) whereby internally generated variables are used as instruments. Hence, the paper accounts for the endogeneity stemming from unobservables in a novel manner, contrary to the common approaches in the literature based either on propensity score matching addressing selectivity on observables only, or relying on commonly used instruments in the labor market literature – mainly regional employment variables – whose external validity is easily disputed.

Understanding female marriage immigrants’ participation in economic activities and their working conditions in South Korea

Using data from the 2012 National Multicultural Family Survey, this study examines various factors that influence female marriage immigrants’ participation in economic activities and their working conditions in South Korea. The results suggest that household characteristics, human capital and social relations–discrimination factors, as well as experience with employment support services, have significant positive effects on female marriage immigrants’ participation in economic activities and their working conditions. While the government’s employment support services positively affect marriage immigrants’ decision to participate in economic activities, they do not contribute toward improving their working conditions. There is a need for governmental employment support services to take specific actions to help improve the working conditions of immigrant women.

Information technologies, policy leverage, and the entrepreneurial spirit: building cross-sectoral collaboration for disability employment in China

ABSTRACT This article examines the role of information technologies in helping small companies hire disabled people. It draws upon the data from a single-case study of a car-washing start-up business in China. I argue that technologies have allowed even micro-sized companies and entrepreneurs in NGOs to become more involved in disability employment. This calls for greater policy support specific to the needs of small companies and more respect for the autonomy of those NGOs. Information technology should also be included in disability employment support services so that the disabled are more likely to take advantages of the new technology economy.

Corporations May Hire More People With Disabilities Through Public Employment Support Services: Propensity Score Matching Analysis

This study investigated the effectiveness of employment support services provided to organizations in the context of the quota policies for hiring people with disabilities (PWD). Empirical analyses using the propensity score matching method were conducted on a representative sample of organizations in South Korea that had utilized the PWD employment support services offered by the Korea Employment Agency for the Disabled. In short, the employment support services provided to organizations appeared to be effective in enhancing employment of PWD. Specifically, the organizations that received the PWD employment support services (a) had a higher probability of hiring persons with disabilities, (b) fulfilled the mandated quota for PWD better, and (c) hired more individuals with severe disabilities compared with the organizations that did not receive such services. Implications and limitations of this study and directions for future research are discussed.